Retro Fair Haven School Halloween Sit-Out — Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect

Nothing like capturing the mood of the Halloween season with a snapshot back in time of little costumed goblins all in a row — on the Sickles School stoop in Fair Haven.

No one’s stooping to a lower level here, though. It’s more like a sit-out. It was the 1980s when the most popular costumes were a mishmash of those serial killer-looking packaged masks with matching cloaks, parental innovation, super heroes and just plain whatever the kids wanted to be that day.

On this fine day back in the ’80s, though, a pint-sized bride front-and-center, this looks to be the oddest Lilliputian wedding party of all time. This little bride inadvertently surrounded herself with some kind of spectacle of a bridal entourage. There was no butcher in the bunch, but there was a baker, a ball player, a couple of superheroes, what looks like a miniature groom cradling his masked clown head (or some variation thereof), an astronaut and a couple of other party crashers. This made-up (in our minds) bridal party is all being presided over by none other than a renegade pirate and a pretty scary looking Smurf lady. Remember Smurfs? They were those blue-faced bizarre beings.

In the background at this Sickles School scene it appears that two teachers are escaping — or something like that.

In reality, it was likely the day of the school’s little Halloween parade in the gym. That’s been going on in Fair Haven schools since the dawn of time. Kiddies are costumed all day long, too. And the costumes? Well, they change with the times.

Back in the 1980s, though, were, of course, Smurfs, Mr. T, Madonna, Star Wars characters, the Incredible Hulk, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, no less.

Recognize these masked Fair Haven elementary schoolers of the ’80s? Your favorite most timeless Halloween costume? Favorite ’80s get-up? Get ready. The parade’s coming up. Scared ‘o you!

— Photo/Kathy Robbins